In-Home Domestic Pet Travel Health Certificates
When planning to travel with your pet within Australia, certain health requirements must be met under specific state regulations. Certain states may require a comprehensive examination by a certified veterinarian, up-to-date vaccinations, lab testing, and the issuance of an endorsed domestic pet travel health certificate, also known as a “Fit to Fly” certificate. WonderVet veterinarians are certified and fully equipped to provide in-home domestic pet travel health certificates.
What is a Domestic Pet Travel Health Certificate?
After your pet has passed a comprehensive examination for domestic travel, a pet travel health certificate, or “Fit to Fly” certificate, may be issued by your veterinarian. This document certifies that your cat or dog is medically cleared to travel and free of transmissible conditions. Requirements may vary, depending on which state you are planning to travel to, but may include:
- Up-to-date vaccines and boosters
- Other lab tests
When to Get Your Cat or Dog’s Domestic Travel Health Certificate
If you are travelling domestically to a state that requires it, you will need to have a cat or dog’s health certificate, which may include vaccination records and lab test results, signed by your veterinarian. Make sure to get your pet travel-ready as early as possible. Some states require specific vaccination and testing, so it’s best to start the process at least three months in advance. To find out the pet requirements for each state, please refer to the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment website.
Even if the state you are visiting does not mandate it, most airlines will require that a pet health certificate be issued within 10 days of travel. Federal regulations also state that any pet travelling on a domestic airline needs to be at least 8 weeks old and have been weaned from their mother at least 5 days before flying. Some airlines may require brachycephalic breeds to be 12+ weeks in age. For more information about flying with your pet, please refer to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s guidelines and the airlines directly.
Our Process
Our veterinarians recommend scheduling your vet appointment well in advance of your travel date to ensure all requirements for the state you are travelling to are met. Sometimes pets will need to be examined and certified within a very specific window of time before travelling. For instance, most airlines require a domestic health certificate for pets travelling within 10 days of your travel date.
Once you’re ready to schedule your vet appointment for domestic travel, we will send you a quick pet travel form to complete before the appointment. This form is crucial as it will guide our conversation and determine the services required during your appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your veterinarian will charge a fee for an appointment, as well as any necessary vaccines or lab tests. The cost of a pet health exam and a “Fit to Fly” certificate from one of our mobile veterinarians will vary based on the WonderVet location where you book your appointment. To determine the exact cost of your exam, you can book an appointment on our website or mobile app.
Some airlines and states within Australia require a Fit to Fly certificate to ensure that pets travelling are healthy and meet their standards for vaccines and other health criteria. This is done to prevent the spread of illnesses or diseases that could be transmitted to other passengers or animals.
To obtain a Fit to Fly certificate, ensure to schedule an appointment with a veterinarian who is experienced in providing these certificates. At WonderVet, we can assist you in scheduling an appointment at a convenient time to accommodate your travel plans. We offer same-day and next-day appointments in most locations.
The requirements for a Fit to Fly certificate can vary, but they generally include being up to date on vaccinations, a health examination, and sometimes specific lab tests. Please refer to the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment website for the most current and accurate information on travelling with pets within Australia. Also, airlines often have their requirements, so it’s important to check with your airline as well.
A Fit to Fly certificate is used for domestic travel within Australia. Not all states require a Fit to Fly certificate, but most airlines do. An international pet certificate is required for travelling out of the country with your pet. Both certificates have specific health requirements that need to be met, and it’s important to verify these requirements well in advance of your travel date.
